Soldering and Lead free solder.

[RichS]

Forgive me it this has been mentioned before but this is driving my nuts! I like to think myself fairly proficient with a soldering Iron and have never really had many issues using one although Surface mount devices scare my sh1tless I leant the art as an RAF Apprentice. In those days you had to construct a circuit that worked mechanically before you ever used solder all to do with aircraft safety and reliability or so we were told. Anyhow My soldering seems to have got really crappy and whilst I guess I can blame some of it on old age I am sure this "lead free" stuff that you only seem to be able to get now, is partly to blame. Anyone else found this and where the heck can I get what I would call real solder?

 

[AlanJ]

Ebay is your best bet. all this came from there.

the brand new jinhu chinese stuff is pretty good 60/40 i have used reels and reels of it.

 

[DAFlippers]

Or RS do Lead solder https://uk.rs-online.com/web/c/powe...=4294847203&sortBy=P_breakPrice1&sortType=ASC

David

 

[Pick Holder]

It is hit and miss with 60/40 solder. Have used some really bad new stuff. The older NOS is much better in my opinion, but of course it is expensive.

Do not use the real thick stuff as it is more likely plumbers solder!

What I would say is dont mix leaded and unleaded. You really have to clean off the old solder first.

If I am doing SMT - I do clean off the existing solder and use leaded. I personally think it is better.

 

[Kenny Taylor]

I had a coil at the very back of my Party Zone. The manual got stuck when I lifted the playfield and dislodged one of the connections. Soldered back on numerous times with new solder. Found a reel
of my fathers stuff and it’s never came off since!